Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany and Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott voiced concerns Thursday about the precedence set by the NCAA’s decision to make Auburn quarterback Cam Newton eligible for Saturday’s Southeastern Conference championship game, according to a report by Pete Thamel of the New York Times.

The NCAA acknowledged that Newton’s father, Cecil Newton Sr., shopped his son to schools in a “pay-for-play” scheme.

Auburn's Cam Newton (2) reacts to fans after a 49-31 win over Georgia. Newton is eligible to play in the SEC title game, even though the NCAA says his father broke rules by shopping his son to another school. Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany voiced concerns about the ruling. (AP photo.)

Delany said the NCAA “missed an opportunity to stand up” with the ruling. Scott, a first-year commissioner, said he heard concerns from several schools about the NCAA’s decision.

“What I would say on any third-party issue is that the analysis in my view, whether you’re an assistant coach, president or a booster or a parent, is that there ought to be accountability,” Delany said. “There ought to be consequences.”

Delany was not pleased with the NCAA’s use of the rule-of-agency principle – which determines when someone is allowed to act on a person’s behalf.

The NCAA recognized that Cecil Newton used someone with ties to an agent to shop his son to Mississippi State. But, because Cam Newton went to Auburn and there is no proof that he or Auburn were aware of Cecil Newton’s actions, the NCAA ruled him eligible.

“Here, who is closer to a player than the parent?” Delany said. “If that person is found to be shopping that player, I think the rule-of-agency principle could easily apply. I would argue in the environment we’re in that it should apply.”

Delany said the case is another reason to worry about the NCAA’s ability to handle the recruiting process and its many nuances.

“We’ve gone to the board of directors to create bright lines, to encourage the NCAA to take creative risks to get everyone on a more level playing field,” he said. “This was an opportunity to apply a very reasonable concept. They chose to go with a very high standard instead of what’s more of a reasonable application given the facts and reality that we’re dealing with.”